VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister, Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, visited a Durga temple to present silk robes on behalf of the government though it was delayed due to the sudden falling of boulders on the hilltop Indrakeeladri on Wednesday.
Kanaka Durga, adorned as Saraswati devi, goddess of knowledge and music and arts, and also regarded as Vagdevi, goddess of sound, speech, consciousness and wisdom is prayed to on the auspicious moola nakshatram day, on Wednesday. Temple officials decided to allow extra devotees due to auspicious day extending the time from 6 pm to 9 pm.
Jagan started from his house in Tadepalli at 4.45 pm and reached the Durga temple at 5 pm. He was welcomed by the temple trust board chairman, Pyla Somi Naidu, temple executive officer, M. V. Suresh Babu, and the temple chief priest, Siva Prasad Sarma, in a traditional manner.
Jagan, in traditional attire, with the chanting of holy mantras by priests, offered the silk robes on his head, conducted a special puja to goddess Durga in Saraswati devi avatar. Temple priests, Ch. Aanjaneya Ghanapati, K. Narasimha Avadhani, Ramanath Ghanapati, Ch. Chandrasekhar Avadhani and Ramadatta Avadhani performed special pujas for the prosperity and development of AP.
Jagain took blessings from the priests in the temple. He remained in the sanctum sanctorum till the completion of the rituals with ministers Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, Kodali Venkateswara Rao, alias Nani, AP Brahmin welfare corporation chairman, Malladi Vishnu, and others. CM Jagan unveiled the 2021 calendar of Durga Malleswara Swamy temple.
The Chief Minister inspected the landslide-hit location at Durga Temple ghat road and directed officials to take measures for the safety of the pilgrims. He also instructed the officials to release funds for the master plan of the Durga temple.
Naidu said that Jagan sanctioned Rs 70 crore for the development of the temple, orders pertaining to the funds will be issued soon. The funds will be used for development activities like strengthening the hill through revetment works, establishing solar power for the Nitya Annadanam kitchen, establishing a tonsuring centre and other work.
Temple officials stated that there was a huge rush of devotees for darshan of the goddess on this auspicious day. More than 13,000 devotees who obtained online tickets visited the temple to have darshan from 6 am to 9 pm with a break during Jagan’s darshan.
